The Ghosts of Pompeii
by DWBean
Summary: The Doctor takes Clara to Pompeii the day before the eruption to check something. Doing so means that they bump into a few familiar faces...


**There's a rumour going around that one of the episodes is going to be called 'The Ghosts of Pompeii' which I don't think is true as they wouldn't devote an entire episode to why The Doctor and Caecilius look the same. Still, the title prompted loads of plot bunnies which I had to write down, so here is a result of typing away at 2am with a huge chocolate bar and three cans of coke. **

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Doctor Who **

The Ghosts of Pompeii

Some moments feel like forever. Others feel like a fleeting second that runs away and never comes back. The moments that feel like forever usually have more emotions than one has in a fleeting moment such as pain, loss, sorrow and shock. Possibly being told that a loved one has died or maybe finding a loving text between a partner and an outsider. However, some forever moments are different. Not all are bad. This was definitely not a bad one.

All it took for memories to flood his head was to see her ginger hair. That fiery red colour which illuminated the greyest of days. That was a forever moment. During that moment, the noise had diminished until the sound of silence was ringing in his ears. Time had stopped and amidst all the bustling people of Ancient Pompeii, all he could see was her smiling face which was admiring the situation that she was now in. Her green eyes contrasted her red hair and he could see that even though she seemed confident on the outside, she was overwhelmed and confused.

Contradictory to the name, the moment couldn't last forever. He felt a pull on his jacket and he was jerked violently from his dream. The noise of the market blasted into his ears and he heard merchants yelling their trade and children laughing and playing games. The grey turned to vibrant colours which danced merrily around the market and the whole area was alive once more. He closed his eyes and relished in the last sparing moment of peace before looking down to the person who had awoken him.

"Yes?" he asked, trying to remain calm. He watched her soft brown eyes look at him expectantly while her eyebrows knitted together.

"You OK? You looked a little out of it," She asked, cocking her head to the side.

"I'm fine." He dismissed and looked back up for the ginger woman. She was gone. He felt his heart plummet as he looked frantically for her but she was nowhere to be seen.

"You don't seem fine. What's wrong?" She asked, nudging his arm with her elbow. He raked a hand through his grey curls before looking back to the young brunette at his side.

"I saw an old friend of mine." He explained. Her eyes lit up with excitement and he saw the dark mahogany of the outer rim of her eyes run into the lighter caramel around her pupils. She launched herself up onto her tiptoes and used his shoulder to lean on as she looked to where he had been staring at just a moment before. She looked back to him and then dropped back onto her feet.

"Where?" She asked, a smile tugging on the corners of her lips. His heart warmed at the excitement of the young woman and he let a laugh tumble from his lips, lifting his arm up and putting it around her shoulder, pulling her closer to him.

"She's gone now. Her name was Donna." he announced sadly and she rested her head against his side comfortingly. The familiar smell of his shower gel filled her nostrils as she breathed in.

"Well, let's look for her then," She decided, removing her head and grabbing his hand. She literally tugged him this time as his lean body fell after her. Her lips were pursed adamantly as her eyes scoured the crowd for possible people who could be his friend.

"Clara – this really isn't a good idea." He explained and she turned to face him, a pout forming.

"Why not?" She asked, giving him her best puppy dog eyes. _Because she won't recognise me. Because she's about to meet someone who looks identical to me. Because…because it will hurt._

"Just because, Clara. Listen to me for once?" He asked and she rolled her eyes before stopping to let him catch up. He gave her a little smile as an act of gratitude and then put his hands back into his jacket.

"So, why did we come to Pompeii? Not that I'm complaining. Just curious. Actually, what is the date? It's not Volcano Day, right? Doctor?" She asked and he rolled his eyes.

"Clara, stop nattering. I just needed to check something. And no, it's not Volcano Day. I'm not an idiot. It's tomorrow." He added, half-smiling as he quickly turned a corner and headed down a different road, leaving Clara wide-eyed as she remained rooted to the ground.

"Hang on!" she gasped, running after him. "So that volcano is going to erupt tomorrow? All that lava and ash is going to fill the city and … all these people are going to die tomorrow?"

"Be quiet!" he hissed out of the corner of his mouth. She glared up at him before folding her arms and stopping. He reluctantly grounded to a halt before turning around, his arms swinging with him as he looked at her.

"All these people are going to die and you're going to do nothing?" Clara asked, her large eyes filled with sadness as she looked at the bustling scene around her. Horror filled her as she realised that she was one of the last to walk Pompeii. That time tomorrow, the majestic and lively city would be nothing but a dead burial ground. The children of Pompeii would no longer play their games. The traders would no longer trade. And then she realised. _They were the ghosts of Pompeii. _

And so was she.

"I'm sorry, I really am, but what happens in Pompeii happens. I've been there, done that. That's really not why I am here. Will you come on?" The Doctor asked, taking her hand to reassure her and gently pulling her along as he assumed walking.

"_Well, I might have something to say about that, Spaceman!" _He heard the familiar words like someone had just poured an entire bucket of ice over him. He snapped his head around to look at Clara but he realised that she had not uttered the words.

"What's wrong?" Clara asked as she watched him look in all directions frantically. Donna was near.

"_Oh, I bet you will!" _ They both stopped dead in their tracks when a tall man in a pinstripe suit ran in front of them, facing to their right as he was walking backwards up some stairs. He turned around and ran off, leaving an extremely irate ginger at the bottom of the stairs. The Doctor looked down at her while she huffed and folded her arms, looking at the market around her. Her red hair was pulled back into a ponytail which fell down her back to her purple blouse. She bit her thumbnail before shaking her head sadly and storming off in another direction. He waited until she was definitely gone before he let out a breath of air he didn't even realise he was holding. He was looking back round to Clara when someone caught his eye. There was a woman in a long red cloak standing on a balcony who had been watching the Donna and the man in the pinstriped suit. Her face was painted white and she had black lines chalked onto her face along her eyebrow and across her forehead to form two distinctive triangles above each eye. Her lips were crimson red to match the cloak which was crafted around her moon-like face. Wisps of ginger hair were falling out of the cloak on top of her head and a few strands around her shoulders.

"Hey, you!" The Doctor yelled at her, causing her to jump and look straight at him with her piercing hazel eyes. He fixated his eyes on her so that he could see if she fled as he climbed the stairs. He walked around a stall until he was on the wooden balcony as well. He could see Clara directly below, her concerned face looking up to see what he was doing.

"What do you want?" The cloaked figure asked calmly, dropping her hands by her side. The Doctor stepped closer to her, his eyebrows knitted together as he examined her features. Her familiar crinkled eyes, round face and pursed lips. He realised how ironic his situation was. This entire event at the end of Pompeii was about prophecy and yet, here was an identical version of the woman who was his mother-in-law and in a few villas away was a man who was going to look exactly like him. Or perhaps, it was the prophecy of Pompeii.

"I…I thought you were someone else. I'm sorry. Have a good day, though, you probably know if you're going to have a good day. How boring! Anyway, goodbye." The Doctor waved as he walked away.

"Have a pleasant day, Doctor." She called after him and he smiled back at her. She smiled that familiar smile and then, another moment was born. That smile was the one that kept him sane when there wasn't a lot going for him. That smile was the first smile his last face had seen. And the last. He had no idea how there was another version of her here, but he supposed it had something to do with the Pyrovile. They had hacked into time, essentially, causing splinters and an image of someone could easily fall through. She turned and walked away, her cloak floating behind her forming her into a graceful ethereal being. _A ghost. _

"Who was that?" Clara asked, looking to where The Doctor and the red woman had spoken.

"A friend. Well, almost a friend." He explained vaguely, but in a tone which Clara knew not to press further questions.

"More importantly, what are you doing here? Isn't it scrambling with timelines and so on?" Clara asked him and he shushed her as they crouched down in an alleyway.

"As long as I don't see me, it's fine. I just need to see old Caecilius for a sec," he whispered, about to pull himself up to peer in the window.

"What, Caecilius from the Latin text book?" Clara whispered and he smiled.

"Yes. He survived, you know." The Doctor replied and Clara's eyes widened.

"What? My whole class was distraught!" Clara whispered, a playful glint in her eyes. He smiled and then hoisted himself up to look in. His eyes landed on Caecilius in the middle of the room, no doubt looking identical to him. Next to him was the younger version of The Doctor and then there was Donna. She had just introduced herself as Spartacus. He watched in amusement for a few minutes at the scene he remembered from a completely different view. He felt a prod on his shin so he looked at the room for the last time and then crouched back down.

"I'm cramping up. What do you need?" Clara asked, rubbing her shoulders. He brought his feet out from underneath him and sat down.

"I'm just checking. I thought I looked like Caecilius and it was really infuriating me so I thought I'd check. Turns out I'm identical." He explained and Clara frowned.

"How is that possible?" she whispered. He sighed and repositioned himself against the wall, stretching his long legs out in front of him. They were well hidden by a barrel of water and the people inside were too engrossed in a conversation to hear them.

"My theory is, when I jumped into my own timestream, I was also scattered along time and space. Not as much as you were, mind you. I'm thinking two or three times. So that would explain old Caecilius in there and then the Curator. Of course, I could have splintered with any face as I am the same man." He explained and Clara nodded, the theory making clear sense in her head.

"Wait – _You're _Caecilius?" Clara asked, her eyes widening. He smirked and raised his eyebrows while looking down at her.

"Just as much as you are Governess Clara." He pointed out and she pondered on the idea.

"True. Right – well, you've got what you've come for. I feel like I'm on the Titanic the day before it sank. Is there nothing we can do?" Clara asked climbing up from the dusty ground. She wiped her red dress clean and then offered a hand to help him up. He took it and then dusted his trousers and coat.

"No. I'm sorry, Clara." He apologised, watching her look at the ground and nod sorrowfully.

They walked through the city in silence, Clara feeling like she should be screaming at people to get out and run. The ground shook when they were near the TARDIS and panic descended on the city momentarily. She couldn't bear to think of the chaos that would present itself later that day. They were on a hillside and The Doctor was slotting the key into the lock when he caught sight of Clara looking over the city, her eyes brimming with tears.

"What's wrong?" he asked, walking over to her. She looked up at him as a tear escaped and cascaded down her face. He reached his hand up and brushed it away, pulling her into an awkward hug.

"It's Pompeii. Pompeii is dead to me, I'm looking at a ghost town. Everyone down there are ghosts. It's so beautiful and it's horrible to think that in a few hours, everything is going to be destroyed. Hopes, dreams, futures, families. Gone." Clara explained. The Doctor felt like someone was twisting a knife in his chest as he watched over the city, knowing that the whole thing was his fault. The sun was setting, a fiery red illuminating the sky as if to warn the city of what was to come. The mountain was looming over Pompeii, waiting for its moment to strike. The air smelt of anticipation similarly to the smell of air before rainfall.

"I want to show you something." He whispered, bringing her towards the TARDIS. He opened the door, keeping his eye on her as she solemnly walked inside and stood by the console. He set the co-ordinates and then set the ship flying. She clung onto the railing half-heartedly as they were flung around. The shaking stopped and The Doctor put his hand on her back to gently guide her towards the door.

"Go," he said gently, opening the door. She walked outside and was met with the exact same hill. The sky was dark but dawn was approaching. She looked down, and there was no Pompeii. Only a layer of white ash where a busy centre once lived.

"Why are you showing me this?" Clara asked, her voice breaking as she looked over the desolate land. It was quiet when it should have been noisy. At this time, people should have been setting up their stalls and the city should have been waking up. But it was never going to wake up.

"Look over there." He pointed to the other side of the hill. She looked to where he was pointing and she saw a cluster of black dots. An orange light was in the middle of them, undoubtedly a flame as one of them was flickering.

"Those are the survivors, Clara. They lived. Caecilius and his family are over there and many other people. Lots of people survived. Pompeii is not a ghost. It's just a city in which time has run out. Don't be upset because it's over. Be happy because it happened." The Doctor explained, a hand on each of her shoulders as he comforted her. She smiled as she watched the group in the distance start to move as the sky was turning yellow in the early morning. They watched in silence as the sun broke the surface, illuminating the land with its bright rays.

"A new day," The Doctor whispered, looking at the remains of the city.

"A new day," Clara confirmed, squeezing his hand.

**Thanks for reading and please leave a review :)**


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